KOCHI: Locals set ablaze a private bus which claimed the life of a 20-year-old in Kochi on February 10.
February 14: A tourist bus driver dies after a group of nine young men assault him at Cherthala.
February 15: A 55-year-old beaten to death by a group of men in Palakkad after they find him returning from a house “under suspicious circumstances”.
February 16: A security guard seriously injured when a businessman rammed his Hummer into him dies.
February 17: A security guard attacked by a mob of youngsters when he tried to prevent them from smoking at a public place.
Gone are the days when you shout at someone when his vehicle overtakes yours or he stops you from entering a place. “Chase him, catch hold of him and beat him to death” seems to be how people now vent their anger, if the rise in the number of cases of violence in the state is anything to go by.
Such incidents speak volumes of domestic violence, sexual abuse of minors and cruelty against the aged in a society which boasts of the highest rank on human development indices in the country. “Unfortunately, there are a lot many persons with pathological anger in our state. Many factors have contributed to this scenario,” said psychiatrist Dr C J John. “We are a generation which demands instant gratification. If one fails to achieve what he desires, one loses temper and is unable to handle the situation,” he said.
According to criminologist James Vadakkumcherry, violence in public stems from the atmosphere of aggression prevalent at many homes. “Most of the children grow up seeing warring parents,” he said. This view is almost echoed by Dr John. “There are many are cases of polytrauma where a person undergoes multiple injuries of a higher degree,” he said.
‘Anger Issues Need to be Checked’
This view is almost echoed by Dr John. “There are many are cases of polytrauma where a person undergoes multiple injuries of a higher degree,” he said. “Many things, including a feeling that the system has failed, prompt them to act recklessly,” Dr John said. “The problem needs to checked at both the personal and the social levels. Otherwise, this tendency can lead to the creation of a dangerous social atmosphere,” he added. “We have a good education system but have forgotten to inculcate values in the youth. We have good indices on physical health but lack mental health,” Vadakkumcherry said. Psychiatrist Dr Sandesh had a different take. “Such violence has its roots in a feeling that someone has encroached on our emotional territory. We react because of our ‘death instinct’. This can be verbal or physical. It can also be due to our thought process and the manner we interpret our atmosphere” he said.